


Routine

by s_ecrivain



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Ava being Ava, Ava being emotionally stunted, F/F, Mutual Pining, Pre-Relationship, The detective has regular nightmares, Useless Lesbian Vampire, idk when this happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:21:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25751269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_ecrivain/pseuds/s_ecrivain
Summary: Ava and Victoria have a nightly routine that no one else knows about.
Relationships: Detective/Ava du Mortain, Female Detective/Ava du Mortain
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	Routine

Sighing tiredly, Viktoria tries to drag her feet quicker down the quiet corridor, her destination clear in her mind.

Her ears pick up on the sounds of frustration and anger radiating from the training room that could only belong to one person, the punching bag swings violently as she arrives at the doorway careful to make sure that her footsteps and breathing are especially quiet.

Cautiously she wraps her fingers around the frame of the door, peering around the corner Ava is the only one still awake in the Warehouse still working- nothing distracting her. Viktoria often wishes that the damn mutation of hers allowed her to see inside of the team leader's head while she put her all into the training, into their missions, into learning how to adapt to being in one place for so long. Well, the latter maybe isn't her priority now or ever but Viktoria could see the little changes in Ava over the past few months. 

She watches as the chains holding the bag up rattle violently. The bag swings back and forth, but she doesn't miss a single punch, relentless in her attack.

From her sport, Viktoria can see the beginnings of bruises on Ava's knuckles, she's being careless tonight- something must be affecting her. But even from where she stands she can tell their team leader is tired, her shoulders are slouched, she won't be able to keep it up for much longer no matter how much she pretends to be invincible. 

She keeps herself concealed from view, she knows that if Ava saw her then she'd freeze up. Have to try to come up with some terrible lie on the spot that neither of them would believe as to why she was standing there watching. But with Ava this distracted by her training, the vampire was too focused to sense her heartbeat or the blood rushing through her veins. 

She remains still as the bag continues to swing hypnotically on the chains. A loud crash knocks her out of her trance as Ava's final blow sends the bag flying straight into the wall on the opposite side of the room.

A small gasp escapes Viktoria's lips, and she hurriedly takes a few steps back to remain out of Ava's sight. Catching her breath she closes her eyes before heading back towards her room, hoping that she remained invisible in her presence.

~~~

The small alarm clock that sat next to Viktoria's bed along with the bright red numbers displaying 3:13am had quickly become a familiar sight to her along with the short walk towards the training room. Always remaining hidden, silently watching until like every night she treaded quietly back up to her room without saying a word.

The second night that she saw Ava, she watched as she picked the bag up and walked back over to the hook and began again- she didn't even break a sweat lifting the bag back onto the chains but she couldn't be surprised by that. The thump of the bag hitting the wall didn't shock her this time. 

With each night that passed, Viktoria watched in awe from afar. It was one of the only times that she had ever seen Ava's constant stoic mask fall into something that felt more genuine. 

She never joined in the conversations in the common rooms when the whole team had the time to relax. Even Morgan would join in with the occasional quip or innuendo to which Nate's reaction always made her laugh. Felix wasn't one to stay silent, even if he tried, the time in her office "keeping watch" certainly showed that. But Ava would just stand at the side, staring out one of the few real windows in the Warehouse, always on edge. 

But there was something about her in this environment that Viktoria just couldn't find the right words to describe. Watching her night after night training mercilessly as if there was always a constant threat. Sometimes she would let out a cry of anger directed at the bag that was battered beyond belief, but she never changed it for a new one. Even with the duct tape holding the tears together and the frayed threads she never uses another bag, just this one.

Ignoring the growing heaviness of her eyelids, Viktoria tries to suppress the yawns that threaten to disturb the moment just so she could stay in it for a moment longer. And then the morning would come, her hair a mess and half asleep as she stumbles into the shared kitchen. But Ava's always there at the table with Nate, regardless of how long she was up training the previous night, no evidence of her anger or frustration present. The mask back in place.

~~~

Waking up Viktoria rolls over, sighing contentedly she glances over to look at the alarm clock and her eyes widen.

 _7:29am_.

She didn't wake up last night.

Sitting upright she stretched out hearing her spine crack before getting up and tying her favourite dressing gown loosely. _It's a bit early for Nate to be up, he normally stays up late in his library before retiring for the night and doesn't leave his room until at least 8am_ she thinks to herself as she heads down to the kitchen so it's unlikely that anyone will be there.

But as she looks up she's greeted by emerald green eyes focusing on her, "Morning," She says quietly as she turns on the coffee machine and leans against the sink.

"I didn't see you last night," Ava says simply, her eyes returning to whatever file she was in the middle of reading.

She starts pouring plenty of milk and sugar into her coffee mug and shrugs, "Yeah, I didn't feel like playing cards, you know how competitive everyone gets."

"I meant when I was training," Viktoria freezes, her spoon still halfway to the sugar jar. Ava lifts her head up, stray blonde hair framing her cheeks as she looks directly at her with a straight face, "You're usually there, you're there every night. But I- I didn't hear you last night," She says this casually, but Viktoria could tell the vampire was studying her reactions. 

Opening her mouth she waits for the words that will somehow explain everything to form, but they get stuck at the back of her throat and she can feel her heart rate start to pick up and the familiar flush travelling up her neck, "I-I, well um-"

A small smile forms on her lips and for a moment it's all she can focus on, the rare showing of amusement on the leader's face having even worse of an effect on Viktoria. 

"It's okay, Detective," Ava says gentler than she had ever heard before and stands up, walking over to Viktoria with her own mug and sets it down, their hands brushing against each other's but it's over too quickly as she pulls back "Next time just come in, I don't mind."

~~~

That night she walks towards the training room, the journey the same as it had been every other night but it felt different this time, nearing the doors a silence greets her.

Usually, the now comforting sounds of Ava's training greeted her. But tonight it's quiet- too quiet, just the sounds of her muffled footsteps on the plush rug that Nate probably picked out and her uneven breathing. 

She pushes the door open, but no one is there.

Humming to herself Viktoria decides to inspect the room more closely, she hadn't been in here since the initial whirlwind tour Felix took her on when she first arrived but then he had been too excited to stay in one place for too long, buzzing from room to room like an overexcited hummingbird. Taking in her surroundings, she walks over to the centre of the large room, where the punching bag hangs. Tracing a finger over the worn fabric she winces as she traces one of the tears in the fabric.

"It reminds me of training as a child, even though the techniques were greatly different," Jumping slightly she turns around seeing Ava standing in the doorway for once. She has an unreadable look in her eye as she walks over standing next to her, "My siblings and I used to train together every morning before dawn, we would wrestle in the stables."

A smile spreads on Viktoria's lips as she imagined Ava as a child, somehow she couldn't picture the team leader as being a particularly carefree child, "And did you win?" She asks as she glances over at her.

"Of course I did," She scoffed crossing her arms, "They did not stand a chance against me, my younger brother he-" Her words falter at the mention of him and Viktoria watches as something clouds the lighthearted moment the two shared, she places her hand on her now tense shoulder lightly.

Her head snaps up and her eyes soften, "I'm useless at combat, I could use some lessons if you don't mind?" Viktoria suggests, hoping to distract her from whatever memories are haunting her.

"I don't want to hurt you," She says, the confession unusually honest for the vampire as she steps closer her arms dropping to her sides.

"I'm not as soft as I look, Ava," She jokes and the smile, the one that she thinks she could die happily after seeing reappears, "I've been an officer for nearly 10 years, you should see some of the people I deal with at the station I think even they could wear you down." 

"That's highly unlikely, Detective," Ava answers with a confused frown on her face, "I do not think that any of the citizens could take down a vampire."

Viktoria laughs gently, even if the joke went completely over the vampire's head at least it worked in distracting her, "How about tomorrow night? If you think you can handle it that is?" She raises an eyebrow in a challenge.

Ava's eyes graze her lips for just long enough for it not to be innocent before focusing back on her eyes, "I don't back down from a challenge easily, Detective," She says taking a step closer until they are standing chest to chest. Viktoria's breath quickens at the sudden closeness and she can't seem to look away from the deep green of her eyes.

"Ava-" Her voice is barely above a whisper.

For a moment they stay like this, locked in their own little world. Only focusing on each other, and Viktoria swears she can feel Ava's heart beating just as fast as her own, reaching up slowly she gently cups the vampire's cheek in her hand and for a blissful moment she leans into the touch but just as quickly as it happened it was over. As if snapping out of a trance Ava steps back suddenly and clears her throat.

"I'll see you at breakfast, Detective." And with a stiff nod, the fierce team leader practically flees from the room.

Viktoria lets out a pained sigh as she lowers her hand, the feeling of Ava tingling on her skin and setting her nerves on fire. Clenching her fists, she shuts her eyes frustrated and this time it's her turn to let out a frustrated cry as she throws a single punch at the damned bag.

**Author's Note:**

> Well it wouldn't be an Ava fic if it didn't contain some mutual pining from the detective and our favourite vampire!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading it and feel free to leave a comment if you have anything you want to say, I love to hear feedback!


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